The Union Cabinet has approved the
recommendations of the Committee headed by Cabinet Secretary for benefits to
ex-servicemen on four issues. The financial implications of
the improvements made as per the Cabinet decision on the four items are broadly
estimated at Rs.2300 crore per annum. The details are as follows:
I. One
Rank One Pension:
On One Rank One Pension, the
demand of the Defence Forces and Ex-Servicemen Associations is that uniform
pension be paid to the Defence Forces personnel retiring in the same rank with
the same length of service irrespective of their date of retirement and any
future enhancement in the rates of pension be automatically passed on to the
past pensioners.
The
difference in the pension of present and past pensioners in the same rank
occurs on account of the number of increments earned by the defence personnel
in that rank. There is also a difference between the pension of pre
1.1.06 and post 1.1.06 retirees belonging to a particular rank. The
UPA Government on two previous occasions has taken decisions to narrow the gap
between the present and past pensioners, particularly those belonging to the
ranks of JCOs and Other Ranks.
On
the issue of One Rank One Pension, the following have been approved by the
Cabinet:
(i) Bridging
of the gap in the pension of pre 1.1.06 and post 1.1.06 JCO/OR retirees by
determining the pension of pre 1.1.06 retirees on the basis of notional maximum
for ranks and groups across the three Services as in the case
of post 1.1.06 retirees. In addition, the weightage of qualifying service in the
ranks of Sepoys, Naik and Havaldar would be increased by
two years for both pre and post 1.1.06 retirees.
(ii) The
pension of pre 1.1.06 Commissioned Officer pensioners would be stepped up with
reference to the minimum of fitment table for the ranks instead
of the minimum of pay band.
These are expected to largely meet
the demands of the defence pensioners on one rank one pension.
II. Enhancement
of Family Pension :
(i) The pension of pre - 1.1.2006 family
pensioners(Commissioned Officers, Honorary Commissioned Officers, JCOs/ORs ) be
stepped up based on the
minimum of the fitment table instead of the minimum of the Pay Band;
(i) Establishing linkage of the family
pension with the pension of JCOs/ORs, in those cases where the death takes place
after the retirement of
the JCO/OR since such a JCO/OR drew a pension based on the maximum of the pay scales, 60%
of the pension applicable to JCO/OR pensioners would be granted to the family
pensioner in case of normal family
pension calculated a 30% of last pay drawn. Accordingly, based on the rank, group and length of
service of the deceased JCO/OR
pensioner, his pension would first be determined on notional basis. In cases where death
of JCO/OR took place after retirement, the family pensioners in receipt of normal
family pension would become
entitled to 60% of the said pension determined on notional basis and those in receipt
of enhanced family pension will be entitled to 100% of this pension. Similar entitlements
would be determined in
the case of Special Family Pension; and
(ii) The family pensioner of the JCO/OR
would be granted pension arrived
at on the basis of the family pension worked out as per the formulation at (i) above or the pension on the basis
of stepping upwith reference
to the minimum of the fitment table, whichever is beneficial. Further, the linkage of
family pension with retiring pension be applied in the case of post 1.1.2006 family
pensioners ofJCOs/ORs also.
III. Dual
Family Pension:
Dual family pension would be allowed
in the present and future cases where the pensioner drew, is drawing or may draw pension
for military
service as well as for civil employment.
IV. Family
pension to mentally / physically challenged children of armed forces personnel
on marriage:
Grant of family pension to
mentally/physically challenged children who drew, are drawing or may draw family pension would
continue even after their
marriage.
The above recommendations made by the
Committee on pension issues of Ex-Servicemen may be implemented from a prospective
date and payment made
accordingly.
Source : PIB Press Release
Courtesy : http://paycommissionupdate.blogspot.in/
